One goal - zero poaching
Category: Innovation Series | Field Notes
In villages bordering Hwange National Park, afternoons stretched long and idle. Work was scarce, opportunities fewer still. For many young men, the easiest way to earn money was to set a snare. What if, instead of hunting wildlife, they hunted goals?
This community sat in the middle of one of Hwange’s poaching hotspots. Giraffes, antelope, and even elephants were being lost not to international syndicates, but to ordinary villagers with little else to do.
The pattern was vicious: idleness led to desperation, desperation to poaching, poaching to the depletion of wildlife. Conservation patrols worked tirelessly, but without new options for the community, enforcement alone could not break the cycle.
Kakori chose a different path: soccer.
The Conservation Soccer League was launched with simple but profound goals — to give young men pride, teamwork, and a reason to channel their energy away from the bush and onto the pitch.
Teams were created across villages.
Local tournaments built excitement and prestige.
The community came together to support players, celebrate wins, and share a new sense of belonging.
It was more than sport. It was a new system for protection — one that addressed the root cause of poaching: lack of opportunity.
The players themselves coined their motto: “One goal - zero Poaching.”
The results have been nothing short of remarkable:
Zero poaching incidents have been recorded in the hotspot area since the league began.
Players who once saw wildlife as income now see soccer as their future.
The league has become a community celebration, fostering pride and reducing conflict.
Other villages have asked how they can start leagues of their own.
This isn’t just about sport. It’s about dignity. With every match, the players are proving that conservation thrives when people have purpose.
At Kakori, we believe conservation isn’t only about boots on the ground — it’s about building systems that protect both people and nature. The Conservation Soccer League is one such system, showing how simple ideas can spark profound change.
We envision this model spreading across Africa: communities trading snares for soccer, conflict for camaraderie, loss for legacy.
Every soccer ball, every tournament, every jersey is an investment in conservation. With your support, we can expand the league and bring Conservation Soccer League to more communities.
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